A Dream of Tuscany

There are lots of cities worth seeing in Tuscany and if you want to visit one of the most beautiful of them, choose Lucca. 

Lucca is a beautiful medieval city with an old-fashioned charm, having many narrow, mediaeval streets, towers, churches and it is a wonderful mixture of shops, offices, bars, restaurants and houses. The old side of the city is between the well preserved Renaissance walls, with a lot of old buildings and squares, which makes Lucca an essential stop on any Tuscan tour.  Lucca is also an important stop for those who would like to explore the Apuane Alps and the Garfagnana. This city has a very interesting position between Pisa, Viareggio and Florence.

Some “must see” attractions of Lucca are: the walls, Piazza of the Amphitheatre, Piazza Grande, the Guinigi Tower, the clock tower, the churches  San Michele in Foro and San Frediano, the cathedral San Martino and  the shopping street “via Fillungo”.

The most important monument of the city, which is The Renaissance Walls, is an intact circle of 4 km in length, with a series of ramparts.  The walls were built as a military defense, but today is a beautiful public walkway, where people come for running, jogging, walking, biking or simply relaxing at any hour of the day.

Piazza of the Amphitheatre is a very characteristic and original monument of the city which dates from the 2nd century A.D, built as an amphitheatre with two rows of 54 arcades and a maximum capacity of 10,000 spectators. In the beginning of the Middle Ages, houses were built over the ruins maintaining its characteristic elliptical shape. Today this square is enlivened by shops and cafes, and is still the center of many cultural activities, music festivals, and fairs.

The Guinigi tower makes part of the palace belonging to the prestigious merchant family of the Guinigi, and is located in one of the medieval neighborhoods of the city. This palace and the tower is the only remaining example of a house of the Gothic nobility. The tower is 44 meters high and has a lovely small terrace crowned by larch trees. From the tower one can enjoy a stupendous panorama of the entire city.

Piazza Grande is situated in the very center of the city. This square is also called Piazza Napoleone because it was opened according to the wishes of Elisa Bonaparte. The headquarters of the Provincial administration and of the Prefecture of Police (which was before the monumental Ducal Palace) lies in this square. Inside this Palace one can visit the monumental stairway by Nottolini, the splendid Representatives Rooms, the Gallery of Statues, the Staffieri Room (frescoed by Ademollo), the General Council Room and the original Loggia of the Ammannati.

"Via Fillungo" is the main downtown shopping street of the city, a lively street with elegant traditional shops where you can find noblemen’s palaces and the medieval towers (the oldest one of them but also the most interesting is the Tower of Hours).

If you are a couple or a family looking for an interesting destination as Lucca is, and you would love to find a charming apartment in the heart of the historic centre of the city with shops and restaurants at walking distance this is our best advice for you is Villa Il Mezzanino.